Delivering Sustainable Buildings : An Industry Insider's View

Why Rent from Knetbooks?

Because Knetbooks knows college students. Our rental program is designed to save you time and money. Whether you need a textbook for a semester, quarter or even a summer session, we have an option for you. Simply select a rental period, enter your information and your book will be on its way!

The book offers peer-to-peer insights and advice from leading practitioners in this field who have worked with specific technologies. The book will not be official, technical guidance, rather a book which readers can dip into when they are about to take on a project of this type. They will find practical advice on preparing for such projects; important points to note and common pitfalls to avoid. The book is based on interviews with practitioners who have hands-on experience of each technology and who therefore have unique insight into the particular challenges for contractors and installers working to deliver sustainable building projects. There is a lot of guidance on sustainable buildings available from reputable sources including BRE, CIBSE, HVCA, ECA and BSRIA. This book is different in that it speaks directly to contractors, with messages from their fellow professionals who have deal with real on-site challenges and who can offer practical advice based on experience. Many contractors are now faced with a business choice of offering services related to microgeneration/renewables and they must decide what technologies might be suitable for their businesses, and consider what level of training is required before they/their employees can start to work with these technologies. Delivering sustainable buildings will help specialist contractors and facilities managers understand sustainable buildings at the strategic level (legislation, finance, training) and then to offer practical advice on various aspects of sustainable buildings (water use, energy efficient air conditioning, commissioning) to their clients.

Mike Malina is founder and Director of Energy Solutions Associates -a Building Services Engineering Practice in the field of Sustainable Engineering, Energy Management and Training. He has 30 years' related experience working at the start of his career in the offshore oil industry, then working in both the public and private sectors in related buildings and building engineering services sector. He is the principal trainer for the Building & Engineering Services Association (formally HVCA), Building Regulations Competent Persons Certification scheme for commercial and domestic HVACR work. Over many years Mike has conducted hundreds of building energy audits and has never been defeated in finding ways to save energy. In 2010 he won the HVR Consultant of the year award and in 2011 the Innovation and Sustainability outstanding contribution to the Industry award. Mike has spoken at many industry conferences and seminars, building a reputation for saying it as it is and cutting through all the ‘greenwash’.

SECTION I: Overview and background.

This section will give readers a background to the most recent legislation at national and local level..

1. What is Sustainable Design: definitions and goals; Robert Higgs, chief executive of the Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association (HVCA) and David Pollock, chief executive of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA).

12. Keeping it all going: maintenance for long-term sustainability; John Wright, General Manager, Eaton Williams Service (why maintenance is good for buildings and also makes good business sense for contractors too).

13. Commission Possible: why continuous commissioning in buildings is the best tactic for sustainability; Roger Clark, director and founder of Commtech.

SECTION IV: Preparing for Sustainability.

14. The Skills Challenge: preparing a workforce for sustainability; Tony Thomas, former head of education and training at the HVCA.